We are located in the Tracy Hills Appellation and offer wine tasting and event venue rental for all your special events.
Tastings
Weekends: 12 pm – 5 pm $15 tasting fee
Groups of 8 or more guests, please call for reservations.
Weekdays 12 pm – 5 pm $15 tasting fee (non-refundable).
Must call 72 hours in advance
8 or more guests minimum.
Outside food is only permitted outdoors in our designated picnic area.
Dogs are welcomed outdoors and on a leash.
Violante family is pleased to have acquired Windmill Ridge Winery!
Originally founded in 2007 by Bill and Stephanie Prioste, Windmill Ridge Winery has grown to offer a variety of award-winning wines, offering wine tasting, wine and beer tours, event center, and facility rental. As you approach the gated entrance you are immediately transported from city life to quiet elegance. Entering the expansive lawn area you smell the fragrant roses and jasmine and gaze upon beautifully manicured landscaping. A central walkway through the lawn area directs you to the Victorian Pavilion, flanked by more roses and nature’s perfect shade: mature mulberry, Chinaberry, and pecan trees.
Meet Jorge
With a great passion for making wines, the senior vintner at Windmill Ridge Winery has been making wine there since its founding. Through his tenure, Windmill Ridge has produced several award-winning wines and even achieved the honor of being named “Best New Winery” in 2008 by the San Joaquin Magazine readers. In 2009 Windmill Ridge was voted Business of the Year by the Tracy Chamber of Commerce, and in 2010 through 2014 was voted Best of Tracy. Jorge has played a key role in the development of the winery, its wines, and the culture shared by much of our community.
If you find Jorge while visiting the winery, you’ll see him busy with his craft. If you get a moment to ask him about winemaking, he would tell you: Great winemaking begins at the harvest of the grapes. The brix and acid need to be just right. The pips must be brown and crunchy with a nutty taste to the bite. The feel of the grapes should be firm, but not too firm. The final test is the taste of the grapes. The art in the harvest is both a matter of chemistry, timing, and taste! When they are finally ready, we’ll harvest the grapes in preparation for winemaking. We make our wines right here on the property at Windmill Ridge Winery. We start early and before the sun has warmed the vineyard, the grapes are in the fermenters. We fermented on natural yeasts in stainless steel, temperature controlled and then aged in a combination of new and aged oak barrels to provide just the right flavors. We allow our wines to develop in barrels as needed until we prepare them for bottling.
It’s an incredible art, and Jorge is the artist in charge at Windmill Ridge Winery.